ENT24 Diedra
by A Rhea King
Summary: Archer makes contact with the Oriprek, and against Sista's advice, goes to meet their king. When he, Malcolm, and Sista are kidnapped, Sista is determined not to leave until she takes back her ship the Oriprek stole.
1. Chapter 1

DIEDRA

By A. Rhea King

**CHAPTER 1**

T'Pol looked up, watching the boy sitting across from her. Eartik's brown eyes were watching his plate, hands and utensils. Imitating T'Pol he had his fork in one end of the celery and was slowly sawing a bite off with his knife. The boy's knife slipped and sent food flying from his plate. He looked up at T'Pol and then back down at the scattered vegetables. T'Pol looked down at her plate and flicked a couple slices of cucumber off. Then she gently stabbed each with her fork and placed it back on her plate by pushing the slices off her fork with her knife. She looked up at the boy, who had been watching her with intense interest. He duplicated her actions.

Across the mess hall Trip and Doctor Phlox were watching the two.

"I don't get it," Trip admitted, looking at Doctor Phlox.

Doctor Phlox ate a bite of his meal before inquiring, "What is that?"

"Why would any kid be interested in eatingl ike that?" Trip motioned toward T'Pol with his knife before returning it to his plate to cut off a bite of chicken. "Or want to _imitate _one?"

"Imitation is the best form of flattery."

"You're saying he _likes_ her? He's ten!"

"No. I'm saying he respects her and he's imitating her is out of respect. And from the looks of things, Vulcans respond positively toward imitation."

Trip smiled, taking a bite of his bread. "I bet deep down she enjoys all that attention."

Doctor Phlox and Trip both chuckled.

T'Pol glanced in their direction, then back at the boy. He was again sawing on the piece of celery. His face told of his frustration with the task.

"Patience, Eartik," T'Pol said.

He looked up at her. "Pa...tience?"

"Patience. Rafla."

Eartik nodded and returned to cutting his celery. T'Pol said nothing more.

#

Archer walked into the Armory and found a Lieutenant there, but not the one he was expecting.

"Where's Lieutenant Reed?" Archer asked.

"He's having breakfast, sir," the woman replied.

"A eight in the morning?" Archer asked. "That's not like him."

"He has it every morning at eight, sir."

"When did that start?"

The woman looked away. "I can call him to report," she said and started to send the command to the computer.

"No. No. I'll go find him myself. Thank you Lieutenant."

Archer turned and left the room a little confused. Archer entered the mess hall and spotted Malcolm and Sista sitting in a corner eating breakfast together with PADDs scattered across the table. Archer walked up to the table and cleared his throat.

Malcolm sprung to his feet. "Good morning, sir," he said.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Reed. Forgetting something?"

Malcolm's expression said that he had.

"You wanted me to look at some schematics for a proton cannon. We scheduled a meeting this morning," Archer said.

"Oh! Right! Well...coincidently, I have them right here, sir." Malcolm offered a nervous smile. "We can leave straight away." Malcolm started collecting PADDs, saying something in Varlikon.

Sista smiled. In a quiet voice she told him something in Varlikon that made Malcolm laugh. Archer looked from one to the other.

"I didn't know you learned their language, Malcolm."

"It's not that much different than German, sir."

"I know German. I haven't found it similar at all," Archer argued.

His suspicion of what was going on between the two grew when he watched Malcolm lay his fingers on Sista's. He said something, pointing at the rest of the PADDs on the table. She nodded, smiling again.

"Why don't we have our meeting here?" Archer offered.

Malcolm looked up at him, surprised by the suggestion. "Sir?"

"I could use some breakfast."

"Yes, sir." Malcolm put the PADDs back down on the table.

"I'll be right back."

Archer left to get food. When he returned, he found Sista gathering PADDs to leave as she spoke to Malcolm.

"You're welcome to stay, Sista," Archer said.

Sista looked up at him. She smiled, shaking her head.

Sista closed her eyes a moment and then looked at Archer. "Uh...Good...day?"

Archer smiled at her. "Good day."

Sista smiled, laughing softly. "Good day." Sista turned and left the mess hall.

"She's having difficulty learning English," Malcolm told Archer. "The younger ones are picking up fast and that frustrates her."

"I imagine it would. Show me what you have."

Lieutenant Reed began going over the specifications and schematics of the proton cannon.

#

Archer pressed his lips together, staring at planet on the view screen.

"I'm not getting answers to any hails," Hoshi said.

Archer walked down to her station, leaning on the railing.

"You've tried all frequencies and all languages?"

"Yes. I keep getting the same reply back and I can't translate it. It's too brief." Hoshi looked at Archer.

Archer thought for a minute. "Where's Sista?"

"Sir?" Hoshi asked.

"Find Sista, T'Pol."

"She is in her quarters, Captain," T'Pol reported

"Archer to Sista," Archer said.

"Sista," her voice replied.

"Come to the bridge. Hoshi, translate."

Hoshi translated his message to Sista.

"Ta," Sista replied.

Archer turned and watched the planet while he waited. He looked up when Sista walked onto the bridge. Her black hair was pulled into a single ponytail that swung to her walk. Sista was wearing civilian clothes with a baggy shirt tucked in and bloused around the waistband of her pants. She walked up to Archer, watching him expectantly

"Sista, do you know this planet?" Archer pointed to the view screen.

Sista looked at the planet on the view screen. "Oriprek." Sista looked back at Archer.

"Hoshi, let her listen to the message," Archer said.

"Sista," Hoshi said.

Sista walked over to her, taking the earpiece that Hoshi handed her. She put it in her ear and listened. She nodded, handing it back.

"What does it say?"

"Speak their, uhm...words, or leave," Sista said.

"That sounds real friendly," Hoshi commented.

"We were ordered to make contact. Sista, can you talk to them?"

"Nishta. Nishta K'pan talk to Oriprek," Sista said, shaking her head.

"I have to," Archer said.

Sista shook her head. "Oriprek bad. Nishta talk to them. Leave. Never go there." Sista pointed at the planet on the view screen. "They steal, trick, and lie. Bad they are."

"You've had a bad time with them?" Archer asked.

Sista nodded.

"Well, I'm ordered to talk to these people. I have to at least try."

Sista frowned. "Bad thought, K'pan."

"Maybe so, but I still have to try. Can you talk to them?"

"I can speak vitara languages."

"Twenty languages," T'Pol translated.

"Good. Can you speak to them?"

Sista turned, saying something to Hoshi. Hoshi's jaw slacked.

"What is it Hoshi?"

"She said that they have forty languages and she speaks twenty, but not all Oriprek speak all languages. She can try to speak to them, but she still warns against going to the surface."

"I have to at least talk to them. Open a channel Hoshi."

Hoshi nodded.

"Talk to them, Sista.

Sista sighed, but then began speaking. There was a reply and a few minutes later an alien appeared on the view monitor. He looked like a fish with sagging jowls and green-brown skin. Sista quickly moved to Archer's side and kept her head down while she and the alien spoke. Archer was confused but waited.

"He asks why you want to talk to, uhm...gita," Sista said to Archer.

"King," Hoshi translated.

"We're from Earth. We're exploring and would like to meet their king."

Sista replied.

"You must pay to see the gita," Sista said, looking up at Archer. "His audience costs one hundred latinum."

"Latinum?" Archer asked.

Sista nodded.

"The ore latinum?"

Sista looked at Hoshi, saying something. The two spoke briefly. Hoshi looked at Archer. "Latinum is a currency for them and other planets."

"We don't have that," Archer said. "Ask him if we could barter instead."

Sista spoke. The creature sat back, saying something.

"What you have barter? He gets impatient."

"What does he want? What would he like?"

Sista translated the reply. The alien said something and disappeared from the view screen. Sista looked at Archer.

"He said to contact him when you know what you have to barter with. Until then, leave them alone."

"T'Pol, give me a list of everything we have that could be use for barter."

T'Pol did so and handed Archer a PADD. Archer walked over and took it, looking at the list.

"You put cooking oil on the list?" Archer looked at T'Pol.

"You asked to list everything we had, sir."

"I see?" Sista asked, holding out her hand.

Archer handed her the PADD. She looked at the list. "Cooking oil."

"Barter with cooking oil?"

Sista nodded, looking at him.

"They'd take cooking oil?"

"They use it for other thing on their planet."

"What?"

Sista looked at Hoshi and spoke. Hoshi laughed. "You don't want to know, Captain."

"Okay. How much cooking oil should we offer?" Archer asked Sista.

"How much you give?" Sista asked back.

Archer took the PADD back. "Half."

Sista asked Hoshi something and she replied. Then the man appeared on the screen. Sista spoke again. He leaned forward, speaking again. Sista nodded, speaking. He said something then disappeared.

"The king will appear shortly. You must not look at him until I tell you too. Doing so is offensive. None may look at him."

Archer looked down. They heard a sound and then an alien spoke. Sista said something and there was a brief conversation between the two. Sista looked up and nudged Archer with her elbow. He looked up. This alien was purple and tan, dressed in silk clothes. Many other aliens surrounded him rubbing his shoulders and feeding him live insect. Archer swallowed, hiding his revulsion. Sista spoke again and he replied.

"He ask what you wish speak with him?"

"Tell him we're from Earth and we're exploring space. We are interested in learning about his planet."

Sista told the alien that and he laughed, replying.

"He say explore foolish waste of kasta."

"What's kasta?"

"Cooking oil."

The alien spoke again.

"He ask f you have any technology you trade for see him for."

"We just gave him cooking oil," Archer complained.

"You want talk to king, you answer question."

"Ask him what kind of technology would interest him."

Sista asked the alien and he replied.

"Contact him in a half hour to say what you bring. Bring all when you come in one hour. Obey landing procedures."

The alien disappeared. Archer let out a sigh.

"Work with Hoshi on the language, Sista."

"Which one?" Sista asked.

Archer looked down at her. "The one you were talking to their king with."

"I was using twelve different ones."

"Twelve diff...Captain," Hoshi said.

Archer frowned. "Prepare to leave in an hour," Archer told Sista.

"Leave where?"

"To the surface."

"Nishta." Sista shook her head. "I no go to Oriprek. They have my ship, but I no go again!"

Archer looked at Sista. "They have your ship?"

"Ta." Sista nodded. "Stole. Never tell landing fee till land. All other tell when ask. They not tell. Hold ship. Me and children have to hide on ships to go away. Not stay there. Use for bad work and hurt children."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Archer asked her.

"Nishta ask."

"Be ready to go to the surface in an hour, Sista. And don't tell me no. I have orders and I have to follow them."

Sista started to respond. Archer held up a finger in front of her face.

"One...hour...Sista."

Sista said something in Varlikon with a deep frown and then stormed off the bridge.

Archer looked at Hoshi. "What did she say?"

"You don't want to know, sir," Hoshi answered as her cheek flushed.

"Probably not," Archer answered, looking back at the planet on the view screen.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Archer was uncomfortably aware of Malcolm sitting beside him. He had wanted Trip to go, but Malcolm knew the specifications on the phase pistols and the other odds and ends of armory that the king wanted to look at for barter. Sista sat behind the two men, looking stern and angry.

A voice broke across their radio.

"Land on docking pad with green flash light," Sista said.

Archer looked down and saw the lights she spoke of. He maneuvered the shuttle pod toward the landing pad and sat it down. Archer got up, watching Malcolm gathering the four PADDs beside him.

"Got everything?" Archer asked.

"Yes, sir," Malcolm answered.

Archer stepped around his chair and walked to the door. He opened the door and a phase rifle was shoved in his face. The alien on the other end spoke as two more pushed past.

"Sista."

"I tell you they bad," Sista told Archer.

An alien by her said something, slapping her face. Archer reached for the alien and was grabbed in a strangle hold from behind. He felt a hypospray pressed against his neck and heard a soft swoosh. The world faded to black.

#

Archer heard yelling and screaming that echoed. Somewhere nearby was the sound of steady dripping water. Archer moved his arm, feeling cold stone underneath his hand.

"K'pan?" Sista's voice said and then there was a hand on his shoulder.

Archer opened his eyes, trying to focus them.

"He's awake," Malcolm said, appearing in Archer's line of sight.

"What happened?" Archer asked.

"Tricked," Sista said.

Archer sat up, taking in their surroundings. They were underground in an area that was cut out of the living stone. There was a wide opening in front of them. Archer got to his feet and walked toward the opening.

"Nishta!" Sista said, grabbing his arm when he came within inches of the opening. "Nishta," Sista repeated.

"What?' Archer looked down at her.

"Nishta touch opening. Harm K'pan," Sista said, patting his shoulder. "Nishta touch opening."

Archer looked at the apparently harmless opening.

"I tried already, sir. There's an energy field across it and it gave me a good jolt."

Archer looked down. "Do you know what they want?" Archer looked at Sista.

Sista shrugged. "Nishta. Almost same happen to Sista when she land here. Let us get off ship first. Probably know Sista remember and why came so fast this time."

"Why didn't you tell me you had met these people before?" Archer growled at Sista.

Sista put her hands on her hips, glaring at Archer. "I do! They stole Sista ship. Remember? I say Oriprek bad. Lie and steal. I tell K'pan that. I tell him bad happening to me back on Enterprise. That should mean Sista been here once. I tell K'pan, he still want come! Make me go even though I nishta want go. Not listen to Sista." Sista jabbed his chest with her finger. "K'pan listen to me more!" Sista turned and walked to the slab Archer had been laying on. Sista sat down on it in an angry huff.

Malcolm walked over and sat down next to her, saying something quietly in Sista's language. Sista shrugged and said something in return. Malcolm patted her leg, responding.

"What did she say?" Archer asked.

Malcolm looked up at him. "She hates underground places where things crawl around."

Archer narrowed his eyes. "I may not speak their language, Lieutenant, but I know that wasn't all she said. What was the rest?"

"Sir, I really--"

"Lieutenant."

"Sir, we're all a bit on the edge right now. It really wasn't important. She's just scared."

Sista looked sidelong at Malcolm.

Archer crossed his arms across his chest. "Tell me what she said, Malcolm."

Malcolm exhaled a heavy sigh. "As you command, sir. She said that she's angry with you for blaming her for this situation when she told you not to come here. She thinks you are reckless because you don't check everything before you send people on expeditions. Furthermore, you're fear and stubbornness is not going to mix well if you don't get a handle on it immediately."

Archer's jaw set. He turned his back on the two, glaring at the opening. "I'm not scared."

Sista said something else. Archer turned his head to the side a little.

"What?" Archer asked.

"She said you forgot that she can sense emotions, didn't you?"

Archer said nothing. He walked over to the other bunk and sat down. For a long time the three didn't speak.

"I'm scared." Malcolm admitted.

"Me too," Sista said.

Archer looked up at the two. Malcolm was staring at the ceiling. Sista was staring at her hands in her lap.

"Me three," Archer said.

The three were silent again. The three heard footsteps coming and Malcolm got to his feet. Four Oriprek appeared at the opening, three of them armed. The unarmed one pressed something outside the cell and stepped in, motioning Malcolm to come to him. Sista grabbed his arm, pulling back on it. Malcolm spoke quietly to her and she let his arm go. Archer stepped between Malcolm and the Oriprek.

"I want an explanation," Archer said. "We did what we were told and you're holding us prisoner."

The Oriprek said something.

"He told you to move. They didn't come for you," Sista translated.

"Tell him what I said."

Sista translated. The Oriprek punched Archer. Two of the armed Oriprek grabbed Malcolm and drug him out. Archer turned to attack the Oriprek and was met with the end of a phaser rifle. The two remaining Oriprek backed out of the cell and the shield was raised. Sista walked close to the opening, looking in the direction they had taken Malcolm. Archer got up, laying his hand on her shoulder. Sista closed her eyes. Archer put his arm around her shoulder and led her back to the bunk. The two sat down and waited together.

#

Two Oriprek led Archer into a room and fastened his wrists into cuffs hanging from the ceiling. Archer heard someone come into the room and his hateful glare darkened when he saw the king.

"We did everything you asked," Archer growled at him.

One of the Oriprek punched Archer in the side, knocking the wind out of him. Archer slumped over but the cuffs held him up. Archer got his feet under him again and stood. The king sat down in a chair and an Oriprek brought him a stickpin-sized device that he attached to his clothes. He pressed the front of the device.

"Interesting devices, these pins. Your female friend wore them. As did all her young crew. They called them combadges," the king told him. "And thy can translate nearly any language."

Archer's jaw tightened. "What do you want?"

"Tell us about the cloaking device the Vulcan's are developing."

"I don't know about any cloaking device."

"You have a Vulcan on your ship and you do not know of any cloaking device?"

"She's my science officer," Archer snarled.

"Indeed. And she's Vulcan. I propose a deal."

"What?"

"You have her come to the surface to visit with us. Then I will allow you to board your spacecraft, return to your ship, and you can leave. No more harm will come to you."

Archer laughed at the king. Something lashed his back and he fell forward against the cuffs. Archer gritted his teeth against the pain when his back was lashed again.

The king sighed. "Well, I can wait as long as it takes. Or until you die. You decide."

Archer looked up at the king. "Go to hell."

The king laughed, sitting back in his chair to watch the torture.

#

Sista jumped to her feet, hearing someone approaching. Two Oriprek lowered the force field and dropped Archer just inside the opening. Sista waited until they were gone before moving to Archer's side.

"K'pan," Sista said in a hushed voice.

When he didn't respond she laid her hand on his shoulder. Sista frowned slightly. She stood, grabbed his arms, and drug him over to a bunk. Sista knelt down near his head and laid her fingers on his temple there a wound was bleeding. She frowned a little, glancing around. She lifted up on her knees and held her hand over the wound. A soft glow appeared under her hand and the bleeding wound on his temple slowly began to heal. She pulled her hand away when the bleeding had stopped and moved her hand to the bleeding cut on his lip. It was starting to heal when Archer came to. Sista jerked her hand back, watching him watch her.

"What were you doing?" Archer whispered.

Sista looked away. Archer moved to sit up but his body hurt too much to move. He lay still again.

"Still, K'pan," Sista said, laying a hand on his arm

Her touch caused the wound under it to sting and Archer tried to move away.

"Shhh," Sista whispered.

Archer felt a strange warm feeling on his arm and looked at her hand. He saw a glow radiating from Sista's hand and the wound began to stop bleeding.

"You're healing that?" Archer whispered.

Sista looked at him. He was watching her. Archer reached up and touched the wound on his lip.

"You can heal wounds?" Archer asked her.

"Not all way," Sista answered.

"Some of the way?"

Sista nodded. "Not wounds that kill."

"Just little ones?"

Sista nodded.

Archer smiled a little. "That's good enough."

"Why they hurt you?"

"I wouldn't tell them what they wanted to know. I don't know what they want to know. I'm not giving them T'Pol either."

"What they want know? Why want T'Pol?"

"They want to know about some Vulcan technology. They think because T'Pol is with us I should know. They want the information or T'Pol so she can give it to them.

"What technology?" Sista asked in a whisper.

"Cloaking device."

Sista shook her head. "Vulcan's not have. Romulans have."

Archer looked at Sista. "What?"

"Vulcan's not have. Romulans have."

Archer reached out and grabbed Sista's arm, pulling her close to him. "Sista, do you know about this cloaking device?" he whispered.

Sista nodded. "Malcolm..." Sista looked down, a tear sliding from her eye. "Malcolm know too. They hurt him too!"

"Malcolm won't tell, Sista," Archer whispered. "And you cannot tell them either. You cannot tell them anything you know about it."

"Klingons have too," Sista whispered.

"I don't care who has it. You cannot tell the Oriprek, Sista. These people are bad. Very bad. They'll kill people if they have it."

"They kill us if we not tell," Sista said.

"No. Not if they think we know. They'll keep us alive as long as they think that."

"And me?"

"I don't know." Archer let Sista go. "I don't know Sista."

"Why you worry about them kill others?"

"They want to control everything. They would hurt a lot of people to get what they want if they had that device."

"I nishta tell. Promise."

Archer smiled at Sista. "Good girl. Good. Never tell."

Sista smiled, putting her hand over the wound on his lip. It began healing slowly.

"That feels warm," Archer said.

"Lots say that. I not know. Never healed me."

"Can the children heal?"

"Nishta. Only my kind can." Sista patted her chest.

Archer's brow dipped into a V. "You say that like you and the children aren't the same kind."

"Nishta."

"You and the children are not the same kind?"

"Nishta." She shook her head.

Archer pushed Sista's hand away. She met his gaze.

"You're not?"

"Nishta," Sista said, sounding a little irritated.

"I don't understand."

Sista didn't say anything.

"Sista, I thought you and the children were from the same planet."

"Ta." Sista nodded.

"Then how are you not the same?"

"Children made for game and serve."

"Game?"

"Ta."

"What game?"

"Kind like Sista's jikla make them for game. Put in big ring sometimes and made fight till one die. Sometime let loose in closed area and chase."

Archer sat up, staring at Sista. "They're your game? You hunt them down and kill them?"

"Sista nishta." Sista shook her head vigorously. "Nishta."

"Why didn't you?"

Sista got up and sat down beside Archer. "Sista tell K'pan about, ta?"

Archer leaned back against the wall. "Yes."

Sista turned to sit cross-legged on the bunk facing Archer. "On home we had Varlikon and Jit. Sista's jikla was Varlikon"

"Jikla is...father?" Archer asked.

"Ta." Sista nodded. "Varlikon make Jit for game. Make closed places where Jit join and make more like. Some given ability to feel." Sista patted Archer's chest. "Feel."

"A few could feel emotions?" Archer asked.

"Ta. Emotions. Jikla low Varlikon. Fix ships that fly away from home. Jikla kind called Varlikon-Jit. Not very high." Sista held her hand above her head.

"You had a caste system." Archer said. "Your father was very low on it?"

"Caste?" Sista asked.

"I understand. Go on," Archer said.

"Jikla meet fritha in market. Jit sometime made do things for Varlikon like carry bags and watch children. Jikla like fritha very much and buy to save. All saved latinum used to buy fritha. Fritha and jikla like each other and fritha have Sista. Jikla not able to pay price to keep fritha. Ordered give back."

"Your father had to pay more money to keep your mother?"

"Low Varlikon allow have Jit serve, but must pay every cycle to keep. High price."

"Oh." Archer winced a little when he moved to a different position.

Sista reached out and gently helped him move.

"Jikla allow keep Sista though. Is right to keep bred Jit from bought Jit. Not pay price for. Fritha very sad jikla tell. Jikla hear fritha kill self so sad. Jikla very angry. He talk and make people angry about way Jit kept, used. Fritha lead fight against Varlikon that think Jit stay same. Many cintra pass of fight. Varlikon began lose people and fight. They make big mistake. They make deal with monsters to fight war. Monsters come down to home and decide like so much stay. Kill Jit and Varlikon. Now all fight monsters, no difference. High, low...no difference. All fight now to keep home. But monsters have weapons powered more, very dangerous. One night jikla wake Sista and tell Sista she fly his ship alone. Say must get children away from home. Home going to be destroyed that night. Jikla take Sista to ship and show her were go. Tell wait for few cintra before come home. Jikla send children to ship and Sista must take away. Say jiklas and frithas stay and fight monsters. Lots bring children and leave. Then planet shake...like planet I look to stay before K'pan say okay to stay. Shake like that. Never shake like that before. I know must leave. Get out of sky, in dark, and lots of ships shoot and blowing up. Sista know must be fast. She remember special thing father show. Make ship go fast like Enterprise. Sista try and try remember to use. Then Sista see not good thing on home. Lines running across look like fire in them. Sista very scared for jikla, for home, for self. Suddenly remember thing and make it go. But not before see home blow like Zintar show with ice. Home gone. Sista alone with children. Fly for many cintra and then return. No monsters left. No ships left. No home left. No jikla. Sista all alone with children. Had good ship till get here. Land and find can't pay docking fee. Didn't know of docking fee. Then we learn hide...steal. Sista not happy children learn these. K'pan?"

"What?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Letting Sista crew stay on Enterprise. Get learn. Get friends. Sista never say thank you so say now. Griftlina."

Archer smiled. "Your welcome Sista."

Sista scowled. "We get out, Sista going to take ship back to Enterprise. Not bad Oriprek ship! Sista's ship! Oriprek never tell Sista of docking fee when Sista call and ask. All other place do. Not Oriprek. Steal ship. Sista want ship back now stuck here."

Archer nodded. "There's a lot of things these Oriprek fail to mention to people when they talk to them."

"This healing only works on people who like my kind," Sista said.

Archer smiled. "I've learned."

Sista smile, falling silent to let Archer go to sleep while she worked at healing the worst of his injuries.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Archer heard two people quietly talking. He opened his eyes. On the bunk on the other side of the cell Sista was kneeling beside Malcolm. He looked as badly beaten as Archer was. Sista was healing a wound on his temple talking in a hushed voice. Malcolm smiled occasionally, but kept his eyes on the ceiling. Archer could imagine the pain his Lieutenant must be in since he was in the same pain himself. Archer closed his eyes again and drifted to sleep. It felt like only minutes had passed when he heard footsteps. Archer sat up, watching the opening. The same four Oripreks appeared and stepped into the cell. One grabbed Sista's arm. Archer took a step toward the Oriprek.

"Nishta," Sista said.

Archer froze. Two of the Oriprek kept their guns trained on Archer.

"I be well," Sista said as the two took her away.

Archer watched the remaining two leave. Archer looked down at Malcolm. He was sitting on the edge of the bench, staring at the floor. Archer laid back down and stared at the ceiling.

#

T'Pol and Trip stared at the image of the planet. There were red dots flashing all over the sphere.

"That's a pretty sophisticated defense system," Trip said.

"Yes. We can't get a shuttle in there undetected," T'Pol said.

"What about..." Trip frowned. "The transporter?" Trip looked at her.

T'Pol looked at him. "You are willing to try the transporter?"

"Would it get us in?"

"I cannot go. I would have to remain here to command the ship."

"Okay. What about me and three others?"

"That is a possibility, but first we need to find them."

"You sent for me T'Pol?"

The two turned. Zintar was waiting patiently behind the two. Like the other children, he had picked up on English as if he'd always spoken it.

"Zintar," Trip said. "Do you remember much of Oriprek? The planet below us."

"Yes."

"The Captain, Lieutenant Reed and Sista went to the surface to speak with the leader yesterday. We have not heard from them since they left. We are starting to believe they may be in danger," T'Pol explained.

Zintar frowned. "Sista wouldn't have gone willingly," Zintar said.

"Well, the Captain kind of ordered her to go to translate," Trip explained

Zintar sighed. "We were kidnapped when we were there. They made us work because we could not pay the landing fee and Sista would not tell them how to lower the defense shield on the Diedra."

"The Diedra?" Trip turned, leaning against the console behind him.

"The Diedra is Sista's ship. They confiscated it for the docking fee."

"Do you know where they would be holding them?"

"In the prison."

"Where is that?"

Zintar walked up to the screen and pointed to the largest concentration of red dots. "Here. In the center of the city are the gates to the prison. The prison is built underground."

"We could transport outside of the city," Trip said.

"If you're going, so am I," Zintar said. "When I was there another slave showed me how to get into the prison from outside the city. With luck, it may be guarded, but still there."

"We have a good plan. I'll get two more guards and we'll go down."

"There is one problem," Zintar said.

T'Pol and Trip looked at him.

"One problem?"

Zintar looked up at him. "They will have dismantled the shuttle pod by now, sir. We will have to find another way off the planet once we get them. They will know how to block your transporter once we've gone in."

"We'll figure it out when we get there."

"That is not an adequate plan, Trip." T'Pol pointed out.

"Okay. Then you tell me what to do once we get to the surface, T'Pol," Trip said.

T'Pol didn't reply.

"Exactly. We have to play this one by ear and hope we know what we're doing when we get there. Ever use a phaser pistol Zintar?"

"I will learn."

Trip led him off the bridge. T'Pol looked at the model of the planet with a long sigh.

#

Archer got to his feet when he heard the Oripreks coming. When they appeared, they didn't have Sista with them. They grabbed Archer and Malcolm and led the two men through the dark halls into a room. Sista was kneeling on the floor and her back was bloody from lashes. The king sat in his chair sipping a glass of a dark, oily looking substance. The Oripreks bound Archer and Malcolm's hands behind their back and pushed them to their knees. Two Oriprek pulled Sista to her feet, ignoring her whimpers of pain.

"I am going to ask you once again, woman, how do you lower the force field?" the king asked.

Sista snarled a reply.

Archer felt a phaser pistol pressed against his head and froze. He looked up when he heard Sista growl like a cat. Beside him Malcolm suddenly sprung to his feet, throwing all his weight on the Oriprek that had his gun aimed at Archer's head. The room erupted into a fight. Somewhere in the middle of it a phaser cut the bonds around Archer and Malcolm's wrists. When the fighting stopped, Sista was kneeling on the king's chest with a phaser pistol aimed at his forehead.

"NO!" Malcolm yelled, holding up his hands as he walked toward Sista. "Sista, no. Don't kill him."

Sista growled like a cat.

"Sista, we need him," Malcolm said.

Sista didn't respond.

"Sista," Malcolm knelt beside her. "Sista, he's their leader. They won't kill us as long as we have him alive. We need him to get out of here."

Sista spit at the Oriprek and handed the pistol to Malcolm. Sista walked over to a box that had fallen off a table and opened it. She stuck one of the combadges on her shirt. She took out two more and pushed it one on Archer and Malcolm's shirts.

Sista said something and Archer and Malcolm's combadges beeped. Sista smiled and when she spoke the translator in the combadge translated her Varlikon to English for the men.

"Now we need to go find my ship." Sista slid the box of remaining combadges in her pants pocket.

"We need to find the shuttle pod," Archer said.

"They've torn it apart by now. There's nothing left," Sista said.

Archer looked at the king. "Is that true?"

The king nodded, not taking his eyes off the pistol Malcolm had trained on him.

"I know how to fly my ship," Sista said.

Archer nodded. Malcolm motioned the king to move to the door with the pistol. The three stepped into the hall. They moved through cautiously through the halls, stunning anyone they came across. They came around a corner and aimed their weapons at the Oripreks standing there. Archer lowered his gun.

"Trip?" Archer asked.

Trip let out a sigh. "Captain."

Zintar and the two Ensigns lowered their weapons. Sista handed the four combadges, motioning to hers. They put them on their shirts.

"We need to get to Sista's ship," Archer said, looking at the king.

"No, we need a console with maps of the city," Sista said. "I do not trust him to lead us safely to the ship."

"I don't know where one's at."

Sista and Zintar both growled.

"This way," he said, pointing down the hall with a shaky finger.

With the king leading they made their way to a central control room. The seven shot the Oriprek in it, and Sista and Zintar went to work finding maps.

"We could negotiate something," the king told Archer.

Archer didn't' respond.

"I can offer money. I can offer...name your price. Anything," the king begged.

"We aren't going to kill you." Malcolm thought for a few seconds. "At least not yet."

The king whimpered. "I'll offer you anything!"

Archer leaned into the alien's face. "How about I just set Sista loose on you again?" Archer hiked a thumb in Sista's direction. "Would _that_ shut you up?"

The king swallowed, falling silent.

"Found the maps," Zintar said. He put his combadge in a slot and the light under it glowed. Zintar put the badge back on and pushed a button on the front. A holographic map appeared in front of him. He reached out and navigated the map to find the _Diedra_.

"Don't need him anymore." Sista looked at Archer.

Archer aimed his gun at the king.

"No! Please!" The king begged.

Archer scowled and shot. The king fell unconscious to the floor.

"Sweet dreams," Archer said, looking at Sista.

Zintar led them out of the room and through halls to the surface. The seven waited for guards to pass the prison door and then ran across the street to an alley.

"This place is crawling with these things," Trip said, looking around the corner at a group of Oripreks that were going from door to door.

"We have to get close to the Diedra," Sista said. "Zintar?"

Zintar was still navigating the map. "In a minute. I don't know where we're at yet."

"You may wanna hurry, Zintar. We have company coming," Trip said.

Archer stepped around Trip, looking down the street. He lifted his phaser up, preparing to shoot. Trip did the same. An Oriprek soldier turned and spotted the two. He pointed, yelling at the others.

Archer moved behind the cover of the wall, a phaser beam barely missing him. He aimed and shot back. Trip and Malcolm joined them.

"We found it. Come on," Sista said.

The three hurried after Zintar down the alley and around a corner. The Oriprek soldiers followed.

"They're regrouping," Malcolm said as the seven ran around a corner.

They turned another corner and found themselves at a dead end. Archer and his crew turned and returned fire.

"This what you had in mind?" Archer asked Sista.

"Oh yes. I intended on us getting trapped. How close to the Diedra are we?" Sista asked.

Zintar checked the map. "A little over a kilometer."

Sista tapped her combadge.

"Captain Vardee to Diedra," Sista said. "Respond."

Sista's combadge beeped with two short beeps and one long. "We're close enough for her to see us," Sista said.

Trip looked back at her. "Her who?"

Sista grinned. "Diedra, download language translator for English."

"Download complete. Proceed," a feminine voice responded.

"Who are you talking to?" Trip demanded

"Disengage port side, stern shields. Authorization beta, omega, Captain Vardee. Authentication," Sista looked back at Zintar.

"Captain? Archer questioned.

"Nine four beta alpha Commander Zintar," Zintar responded.

"Access granted," the voice replied on Sista's combadge. "Shield disengaged."

"Diedra, lock on to the seven combadge signals and transport on board. Engage shield once all are on board."

"I am not going to be tra--" Archer started, cut off when he was transported from where he was crouching.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Archer appeared on the transporter pad with the six others.

"You were saying Captain Archer?" Sista asked with a knowing smile.

"I hate transporters," Archer grumbled.

Sista walked off the pad toward the door. She led them into a gray and maroon colored hall with soft lights.

"Diedra, initiate plasma core. Report."

"Plasma core initiating. Running at ninety-seven percent capacity," the voice replied.

"You're talking to the ship's computer, aren't you?" Trip asked.

"Ta," Sista answered with a smile. "Diedra, prepare ship for launch."

The seven came out of the hall onto the bridge. In the center of the bridge were two consoles with chairs behind them. Behind it were three chairs in a row. To the right was a console with a chair and to the left was another console with a chair. Situated in nooks at the back of the bridge were two more consoles with chair. Sista slid into one of the front console chairs.

"Zintar, weapons," Sista ordered.

"Aye captain," Zintar replied, sitting down at a console.

"Trip, I want you to sit at navigation so you can initiate it for Diedra. She needs help when she has to load star charts quickly." Sista pointed to the console to her left. "Everyone needs to sit."

Archer and Malcolm sat down in the chairs in the middle of the bridge. The two crewmen sat down in the chairs behind the consoles in the nooks.

"Why aren't there any Oripreks on here?" Archer asked.

"Diedra has a security shield that only Zintar or I can disable. It's been in place since we landed when I realized we'd been tricked. Diedra, we need to launch. Report."

"Sequences at eighty-seven percent. Hostiles attacking, Captain," _Diedra_ reported.

"Zintar, wide stun array."

"Aye," Zintar responded.

Archer looked at Sista.

"What does Sista mean?" Archer asked.

"Captain," Sista answered.

"Your name is Captain?"

Sista laughed. "No. My name is Vardee."

"Then why have you let everyone call you Sista?"

"By the time I realized the translation of it had been misunderstood, everyone was used to calling me Sista."

Archer smiled. "That was a large misunderstanding."

"Not really. I am Captain. Captain Vardee. Just not Captain of your ship," Sista said.

"Hostiles temporarily disabled, Captain," Zintar reported.

"Prepeations for launch complete. Launch will commence in..." The computer began counting down from ten seconds.

"Diedra, bring up full screen. Navigation screen lower right square. Weapons, lower left square."

In front of them the empty space lit a holographic view screen that showed outside the ship with a hundred and twenty degree view. In front of the two consoles at the bottom of the view screen were statistics of the weapons and a navigational view.

"Load star charts for this solar system," Sista ordered. "Transfer navigation to weapons control. Transfer remaining controls to helm. Beta, pi, two, two, Vardee. Once the transfer is complete, begin launch sequence. Trip," Sista leaned over, pointing to two dark lines with small bars on it. "See this?"

Trip nodded.

"When Diedra is ready for the navigation to engage, two lights on the bottom will come on. Put fingers on them and run your fingers up fast. Do not wait. We are going to be surrounded here shortly if we do not get off this launch pad."

Trip nodded. Sista turned back to her controls.

"Launch in five seconds ..." The computer continued counting down.

Trip saw the two lights Sista had told him about and slid his fingers up the bars. The console suddenly lit up with star charts and controls labeled in a language he didn't understand.

"Now what?" Trip asked.

"Matrix control from navigation not responding," the computer reported. "Unable to transfer all of navigation to weapons."

Sista said a word that did not translate followed by, "Hold on. We're flying out of here really fast."

"...One. Launch in progress," the computer said.

The ship shuddered slightly and shot off the launch pad toward the stars above. The force of the planet's gravity suddenly vanished and the stars stopped racing.

"Diedra to Enterprise," Sista said.

"Enterprise," T'Pol replied. "We have you on screen, Sista."

"Zintar, lay in a course. Enterprise, two Oriprek ship are closing on your position. Two more are following me from the surface," Sista said.

"Preparing to engage in combat," T'Pol said.

"Zintar, arm proton missiles. Tubes three and four."

"Armed, sir."

"Diedra, bring interface templates online. Create template from English language," Sista ordered.

"Template for English language compiling. Compile complete and ready to install."

"Translate navigation controls to English language and overlay navigation controls with template. Restore all navigation control to the navigation console."

In front of Trip a holographic image appeared and the labels for the controls were now in English.

"Trip, locate the two approaching Oriprek warships and send coordinates to weapons."

Trip touched the controls and locked on the two ships.

"Targets locked," Zintar reported.

"Target their weapons. Fire at will, Zintar."

Zintar fired the torpedoes.

"Report Zintar."

"One ship down. Second torpedo missed."

"Ah man. We got company coming. Five more just appeared on sensors." Trip motioned to the screen.

"We have no more torpedoes. Missiles off line, Captain," Zintar said.

"Charge gunnery," Sista said. "Locate next target, Trip."

"Enterprise to Diedra," T'Pol said.

"Diedra here," Sista replied.

"We are closing on your position. Do you require assistance?"

The Diedra rocked from a hit.

"Shields down to eighty-five percent," the computer reported.

"Do you have the target yet Trip?" Sista said.

"Almost."

"Shields down to seventy-eight percent," the computer reported.

"Hold position Enterprise. Locate the target Trip," Sista insisted.

"I'm trying."

The ship rocked again.

"Shields down to sixty-five percent," the computer reported.

"Locate the damned target Trip!" Archer ordered.

"I'M TRYING!" Trip yelled. "Target acquired."

"Lock on weapons and firing," Zintar said. "Target hit and weapons disabled."

"The other ships are falling back. No more are in pursuit," Trip reported.

"Diedra to Enterprise."

"Enterprise here," T'Pol answered.

"Does Enterprise have a space I can dock Diedra?"

"A loading bay might hold her," Archer answered. "She should fit into a loading bay, T'Pol."

"Loading bay six is empty. I'll open the doors."

"Acknowledged. Diedra out."

Archer got up and walked up behind Sista, laying his hands on her chair. Sista looked up at him.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No. You did a good job, Captain." Archer patted Sista's shoulder.

Sista smiled. Archer stood up, watching as the _Enterprise_ come closer on the view screen.

#

Archer pushed the button outside the door of the loading bay and stepped in. He stopped just inside, admiring the _Diedra_. It was strange how the ship, while not even his, made him proud of her. Archer walked around her to the loading door on the other side, running his hands on her underside as he walked. Her metal was cold but smooth. A lot like the _Enterprise_ metal had felt when he touched it before it was sent out of the loading bay doors to be assembled. Archer stepped on board and turned, walking down the gray and maroon hallways. Inside the _Diedra_ not even the steady drone of _Enterprise's_ warp engine could be heard. Archer paused to look inside each door. Archer came to the bridge and sat down in the captain's chair. He looked around the bridge, wondering what it was like to have a full crew on board this vessel. Archer got up and wandered down another hall. One of the doors opened into a room with consoles and a tube filled with a liquid substance in it. Archer heard people talking and turned. He saw two pairs of feet sticking out of a panel.

"Ah-hum," Archer said, and then cleared his throat.

Sista and Trip both came out of the opening.

"I thought Malcolm was here too," Archer said.

"Back here, sir," Malcolm's voice said.

Archer turned. Malcolm was sitting at a console across the room. Archer smiled, looking around the room.

"What is this room?" Archer asked, suspecting he knew the answer.

"You would call it...uhm...engineering," Sista said.

"What's this?" Archer pointed to the tube in the center of the room.

"Plasma core."

Archer looked down at her. "Plasma core?"

"Like your engine. Life longer. Make ship faster in warp. Faster in fight."

"Really."

Sista nodded.

Archer nodded, looking at the plasma core. Archer looked down at Trip and Sista again. "I almost put you three on a missing persons list."

Trip looked down, smiling. Sista looked confused.

"We not missing."

"He's joking, Sista," Trip said.

"Oh." Sista smiled. "Not get joke."

Archer smiled. He crouched down, looking in the opening. "What are you two doing in there anyway?"

"Try to figure out to put in gel pack for energy conversion," Sista answered.

"Gel packs?"

Sista nodded. She motioned to the opening. "K'pan look?"

Archer moved into the opening and saw what she was talking about. There was a container with a pinkish gel like substance in it.

"And these are used to convert energy?" Archer asked.

"Ta."

Archer moved out of the opening and sat down. "You're ship is far more advanced than Enterprise is."

"You ain't even seen the half of it, Captain," Trip said.

"Nor the weapons they have, sir," Malcolm commented.

"How many does the Diedra hold, Sista?"

"She okay to hold twenty four. No more. Meant for battle and must not carry lots of things on her."

"Well, I'm glad she's with us now." Archer looked at Sista and Trip. "You three need to get cleaned up. We have class in two hours." Archer looked around the room again.

"Class?" Trip asked.

"OH!" Sista put her hand on Trip's arm. "The children. They have class with Earth children today."

"I completely forgot about that." Trip jumped up and held his hand out for Sista.

She took it and stood. "Malcolm, we need to hurry. I forget! Children very upset if Sista not go. Meet in class K'pan?"

Archer nodded.

"See you in class, sir," Malcolm said as he walked around Archer to the door, following Trip and Sista out of engineering.

Archer got to his feet and walked to the console Malcolm was at. The holographic overlay was still on but in Varlikon.

"Diedra," Archer said.

There was a beep.

"Can you convert the databases to English?"

"Specify which database."

"The one on screen in engineering."

"Converting."

The information came up in English.

"You're a good ship Diedra." Archer smiled to himself.

There was a beep. "Please rephrase command," the computer said.

Archer smiled. "Play some music. Anything. By anyone."

A soft instrumental melody began playing. Archer chuckled. He could get used to a ship like this.


End file.
